source for whole kernel corn

tbtravis · Aug 12, 2011

I am interested in adding some dried corn to my supplies. Good for cornbread, tortillas and tamales. Combined with beans I believe it makes a complete protein. Does any one know of a local source? I know it has a fair amount of oil in it, does this affect it's long term storage? Most of my food is stored in #10 cans with oxygen absorbers.(Thank you Bishop's Storehouse!) Hopefully this would work for corn.
Non GMO. heirloom corn would be a major plus.

Tom

lowly monk · Aug 12, 2011

Tom, Call david or Micheal 503-678-3276 They have lots at 1/2 off wholesale.

MissJ · Aug 13, 2011

I had the same trouble with finding dried corn. the best price I could find was at www.waltonfeed.com

it is $117 per 6 gal bucket packed with mylar bag and o2 absorbers and a lid. That is MUCH more expensive than comparitive volumes of rice, beans, wheat etc. but I went ahead and bought a few buckets anyways just for variety. Also corn is jam packed with calories so a 6 gal bucket of corn has 76,800 calories while a 6 gal bucket of say pinto beans has only 28,000 calories. So it is roughly 3x the calories for about 4x the cost. (only compared to pinto beans. rice packs in more calories per bucket....so the cost difference is even greater compared to rice).

I would also love to find a source of local dried corn supply. I was thinking about inquiring at feed stores....they MUST have dried corn right? it is probably not labeled for human use....but in a SHTF scenario I'm sure I'd be willing to eat it....

If anyone knows where to buy food grade dried corn in 20# or 25# bags in the greater portland metro area please reply!!!!

darkminstrel · Aug 13, 2011

Wow, I had no idea of the difference in root calories! I much prefer corn flour to white or even wheat so this is great news to me.

Tactical Option · Aug 13, 2011

Try contacting a local co-op. I know u can get wheat I'm sure they have corn too.

tbtravis · Aug 14, 2011

Folks,
Many thanks for the replies!

Tom

cyborg · Aug 14, 2011

Bob's Red Mill has dried whole kernel corn. Some people have a problem getting this to go through their mills due to the large size of the kernels. Might need the larger sized auger to make it work. Some people get around this by purchasing popcorn instead. The smaller kernels more easily fit the smaller auger sizes of regular mills. Some people say that popcorn has a higher moisture content necessary to make it pop and is thus a bad choice for LT storage but I am unsure of this. I have large kernel and popcorn in my stores.

I am looking for a source of hard red wheat by the bushel rather than by the #25 bag.
Anyone know a source? Please dont tell me "Look up a co-op" as I have no idea what that is or how to look that up.

Tactical Option · Aug 14, 2011

cyborg said:
Bob's Red Mill has dried whole kernel corn. Some people have a problem getting this to go through their mills due to the large size of the kernels. Might need the larger sized auger to make it work. Some people get around this by purchasing popcorn instead. The smaller kernels more easily fit the smaller auger sizes of regular mills. Some people say that popcorn has a higher moisture content necessary to make it pop and is thus a bad choice for LT storage but I am unsure of this. I have large kernel and popcorn in my stores.

I am looking for a source of hard red wheat by the bushel rather than by the #25 bag.
Anyone know a source? Please dont tell me "Look up a co-op" as I have no idea what that is or how to look that up.

A Co-op is a term for a "Farmer's Cooperative". Usually when you see a cluster of metal towers around a set or railroad tracks in the middle of the country, you have found the right place. Many are open to the public and many even have small showrooms inside with tools and chemicals. Farmers take their grains to these locations to be stored, shipped, milled, etc. Some of the grains are purchased by the co-op and various types of feeds are produced.

So anyway, co-ops are a great resource for us. Everything you can find at your local feed store is found at the co-op for much cheaper. It would be well worth your effort to locate one.

Gunner3456 · Aug 14, 2011

You can buy it at a co-op (farm feed and supply store.) I would also highly recommend that you pick up a hand cranked corn sheller. You can get them new, or you might find an antique on ebay or somewhere. That way if you grow corn, you can hang it and dry it, and then quickly remove the whole kernel from the cob. A cool bonus is that they will crack and shell walnuts. Get a good stout one. All I can recommend is google, because I have an antique.

A corn husker is very handy too if you plan on growing or even buying a lot of corn with the husks still on. Husking corn is time consuming and a pain.

When you buy shelled corn, be sure you can't easily dent it with your fingernail. If you can, it needs to dry more. Compare it to popcorn. I'd put it on cookie sheets, less than an inch deep, in the oven at 150 degrees for a couple of hours.

Every couple of years I buy a fresh assortment of heritage seeds (non-hybrid) That way I could harvest my own seeds and they would bear true to kind.

mrknot · Aug 14, 2011

This is probably a dumb question, only fitting for my first post here I guess, but when one buys dried corn is that the same as corn seed?
The packets of corn seed I have purchased appear to be just that.
Is there a difference?

Gunner3456 · Aug 14, 2011

mrknot said:
This is probably a dumb question, only fitting for my first post here I guess, but when one buys dried corn is that the same as corn seed?
The packets of corn seed I have purchased appear to be just that.
Is there a difference?

Remember that there is hybrid corn and heritage corn (or any other fruit or vegetable.) Hybrid corn does great for the harvest, but the seeds may either be sterile, or they won't bear true to kind. They are cross-bred. They may also not have had the proper storage to germinate.

Heritage is a term that applies to the old, non hybrid varieties which bear true to kind and where the seeds can be saved and planted.

In that sack of feed corn, you don't know what you have or how it was stored. In order for corn to germinate, even if you know it's your own heritage variety, it has to be allowed to dry in the field on the stalk, then get picked on a dry day and put into cold storage until planting time. You can either remove the seeds from the husk or just hang the husks, but most seeds need the cold of winter and good dry conditions before they will germinate in the spring.

So yes, you can buy seed corn in bulk at a co-op, but you are probably buying a hybrid. Please invest in heritage seeds from a good supplier and then save your own from that year after year. Seeds are cheap.

mrknot · Aug 15, 2011

Can you recommend a good, local supplier of heritage corn seed?
Thanks.

Gunner3456 · Aug 15, 2011

mrknot said:
Can you recommend a good, local supplier of heritage corn seed?
Thanks.

These seeds are also, and maybe more commonly, called heirloom seeds. Ebay and google, I suppose. Look for a nice assortment.

Speedsteel · Aug 16, 2011

Not local,, unless you find a retail distributor that carries them try Seed Savers Exchange, Seed Savers Exchange , all organic and heirloom.
Products are available seasonally and the popular items go really fast, so plan ahead.

Gunner3456 · Aug 16, 2011

mrknot said:
This is probably a dumb question, only fitting for my first post here I guess, but when one buys dried corn is that the same as corn seed?
The packets of corn seed I have purchased appear to be just that.
Is there a difference?

If you buy corn seed, it may well be treated with chemicals to keep it from rotting before it sprouts. If it's treated it should be colored for safety. I've seen it in blue, green and red. Again, it's probably a hybrid which would give you a nice crop, but you couldn't save the seeds.